Marine escape



June Z4, 1930. w. MERl-:DITH

MARINE ESCAPE Filed Jan. 27, 1950;

\ ATTORNEY Fatented diane 2li, E93@ narran stamm narrar ersten MARINE ESCAPE Application led January 27, 1930. Serial No. 423,846.

My present invention has reference to a life saving devic'e and is' designed for use by the passengers and crew of sunken vessels.

The object is the provision of a lite saving device that includes water proof compressible sacks that contain therein either oxygen or air and which are designed to be supported on the sides, below the armpits of the user and which have attached tothe top portions thereof nipples that are normally closed by valves, together with a waterproof elastic helmet ola particular and peculiar vformation which is arranged over the head of the user, which is provided with a windowwhereby the user can observe outside conditions vvhen on the surface of the water and which has its neclr provided with hand operated cocks that are connected by flexible hose connections to the nipples ot the saclrs and whereby the user by merely pressing his arms against the sacks will cause the air or oxygen to pass into the helmet, which not only insures the tree breathing ot the user but tends to compress and properly hold the neclrband oi' the helmet against the neck of the user to more effectively insure a watertight joint and further wherein' both saelrs and helmet afl'ord buoyant elements n which will assist the user in reaching the surface of the water.

To the attainment of the foregoing the invention consists in the improvement hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the improvement in applied position, the helmet being in section.

Figure 2 is a face view ot the helmet. Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line7 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure t is a detail sectional view approximately on the line ll-l of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a plan view ot the saclr members to better illustrate the harness therefor.

As disclosed by the drawings I make use of two compressible but water proof sacas 1, respectively. Each of the saclrs, at the top thereof, is formed with a curved de pressed portion 2 designed to receive therein the armpit of the user of the device. There is attached to the inner laces et the sacks longitudinally extending straps 8 which have suitable catch means at their ends tor connecting the same. To the upper straps 3 and to the inner faces of the sacks to the opposite sides of the Adepressions 2 in the sacks there are connected. shoulder straps 4. By this arrangement'it will. be noted C' that the sacks can be readily arranged over the shoulder and strapped around the torso of the user. The sacks are filled with oxygen or air and the top of cachot the sacks is provided with a nipple 5 whose passages are 5 controlled by hand operated valves 6.

The helmet of the improvement is of both elastic and watersproof material, the hood or top thereof being indicated for distinction by the numeral 7. The. hood is provided with one or more openingsthat are covered by transparent plates 8 that afford windows whereby the userv of the helmet may observe outside conditions. The hood has its bottom portion formed with a neck or collar extension 9. The collar, at its juncture with the hood, is thickened and in the thickened portion there is arranged a split metal ring 10. By reference to Figure 2 of the drawings it will be seen that this ring S0 has its ends in lapping relation and that one of the ends of the ring normally contacts with the shoulder 11 adjacent the second end ot the ring Jfor limiting the contraction. of the split ring. It will be also noted that the portion of the collar in which the lapping ends of the ring are received is of a greater thickness than that through which the ring passes. The collar has its lower end rounded inwardly and thickened, as at 12,. andmerges into an upwardly directed. neck band 13. This construction permits of the Vneclrban'd and collar portion of the helmet being expanded so that the same can` be readily drawn over the ,head of the user and when properly positioned on the user the collar will be arranged around the neclr of the user and held thereagainst by the split spring band or ring 10.

The collar portion of the helmet, at dia- 1 metrically opposite points, has fixed thereon hand operated cocks 14, and to these cocks and to the nipples 5 there are connected flexible hose members 15.

As far as the description has progressed it Will be noted that the improvement may be quickly, easily and securely positioned upon the body and head of the user. Both the helmet and the sacks afford buoyant elements Which Will assist the user in rising to the surface of the Water. Then the device is positioned the valves 6 are opened by the user and the cocks 14 are opened to a desired extent. By pressing his arms against the sacks 1 the fluid Will flow through the hose members 15 into the helmet. It is to be noted that this fluid is directed against the neck band 13 of the helmet and Will thereby exert a gentle pressure against the neck band to force the same against the neck of the user but to an extent which will not cause the said neck band to either inflict injury to or prevent of the lfree breathing of the user. The air and oxygen let into the Water proof and air proof helmet Will insure the free breathing of the usenfor determined length of time. When the user reaches the `surface of the Water he can'close the valves 6 and detach the hose 15 either from the cocks 14 or from the nipples 5 and thereafter, by regulating the cocks pernnt atmospheric air entering the helmet. By a simple device of this character it Will be apparent that persons submerged can readily raise to the surface of the Water and be retained upon said surface for a great length of time even if such persons are not expert swimmers and that their heads will be retained over the surface of the Water by the buoyant helmet also for an indefinite length of time or until rescued.

The top of the hood or helmet 7 has centrally let thereinto and firmly secured thereon the stem of a pet cock 16. The pet cock 16 is opened to let impure air ont of the hood or helmet and the opening ofthe cock is regulated by the user of the device and, of course, the cock is only opened after the user has reached the surface of the Water. IVhile the improvement is primarily designed as a life saving device for buoying persons to the surface of the water the same can be used With equal efhciency by firemen When entering burning and gas charged e buildings.

The construction and advantages Will, it is thought, be apparent to those skilled in the art to which such invention relates so that further detailed description Will not be required. Obviously I do not Wish to be restricted to the precise details herein setV forth and, therefore, hold myself entitled to make such changes therefrom as fairly fall Within the scope of What I claim.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. A device for rescuing persons from sunken marine vessels comprising Water proof sacks containing air or oxygen supported under the armpits of a person and having valve controlled nipples, a Water and air proof helmet to be arranged over the head of the user having a Window therein, and having its collar portion rounded inwardly and thickened and merging into a. neck band to be arranged around the neck of the user, vcocks secured to the collar portion of the helmet and detachable flexible hose members connecting the cocks With the nipples.

2. A device for rescuing persons from sunken marine vessels comprising Water proof sacks containing air or oxygen supported under the armpits of a person and having valve controlled nipples, a Water and air proofhelmet to be arranged over the head of the user having a Window therein, and having its collar portion rounded inwardly and thickened and merging into a neck band to be arranged around the neck of the user, cocks secured to the collar portion of the helmet and detachable iiexible hose members eonnecting'the cocks With the nipples, the said collar portion of the helmet having a thickened part, a split spring ring arranged in said thickened part and having lapping ends, and one portion of the ring being offset to afford a shoulder with Which the opposite end of the ring contacts for limiting the contraction of the ring.

3. A device for rescuing persons from sunken marine vessels comprising Water proof sacks containing air or oxygen supported under the armpits of a person and having valve controlled nipples, a Water and air proof helmet to be arranged over the.

head of the user having a Window therein, and having its collar portion rounded 1n.-

-Wardly and thickened and merging into a neck band to be arranged around the neck of the user, cocks secured to the collar portion of the helmet and detachable fiexible hose members connecting the cocks with the nipples, and a pet cock connected with the top of the helmet.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WASHINGTON MEREDITH. 

